Historic Event in US Soccer: Da’vian Kimbrough Debuts at 13

By: Sandipan Ghosh Image credit: X

[{"selector":"#anim-8d0fd100-ce37-46b3-98af-63f2177fe97f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-19.92317941369501%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5f591dd9-86e2-4425-b44c-c1cb24e419b3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5e84df45-77b8-4254-8bff-e8c3cc48f27a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -424.66799%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Sacramento Republic forward Da’vian Kimbrough created history in United States soccer by becoming the youngest professional player to debut in a competitive match in the US soccer.

[{"selector":"#anim-05892954-02ef-4a3f-bbd0-f6d4c0312670 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-11.504807317220338%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4f854aff-ad02-4ee0-9f1f-c890e2555133","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-069332d1-a94d-48bc-a419-18308e72a832","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-96a1c6a9-6a1c-4276-8c29-902f64227675","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-117.41936%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Last August, at 13 years, 5 months, and 13 days, Kimbrough signed his first contract with the Sacramento Republic FC. That made him the youngest professional athlete in American team sports history.

[{"selector":"#anim-9ba89228-a332-46dd-86c5-90ae5885776c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-46.98076928207567%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Last Sunday (October 1), the US second-tier team, Sacramento Republic, beat the visiting side Las Vegas Lights FC by 2-0. During that game, Kimbrough made his debut in the US professional soccer.

[{"selector":"#anim-efe2d848-23a0-451c-b09a-d80b4124e79c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-816ebc9f-b557-402c-92a9-b854a0993ee2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 57.85544%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fe6a3949-1b62-422d-81c6-532b26c3b2be","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f3d21831-423b-4fe3-8764-4fbadd8233cf [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(7.164663034285916%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] In the 87th minute, Kimbrough came on the field to replace Keko. He was 13 years, 7 months, and 13 days old during his Sacramento Republic FC debut.

[{"selector":"#anim-6130d77d-6a2e-4e5a-b6fd-502499b61bce [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(1.5612569833331955%, 0.7511927212881994%) scale(1.462962962962963)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2f67ec63-ba63-4cd9-a6ab-47700e594710","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-5e9dbc1d-3eff-414a-88ef-0c47bbfaeb29","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-02ca9a03-687d-4716-aa6d-e0822ec880b4","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] According to Sacramento Republic FC's official website, Kimbrough created history with that appearance by becoming the youngest professional athlete in American team sports.

[{"selector":"#anim-7c061eb2-f6fc-4ad9-96bf-9e50da8cf185","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9ce1afd4-79f1-4fec-9353-65e8083ce29a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 64.00586%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-63a80aa5-5f0a-4734-99a1-9acee124d5f6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eeaa02a7-0a18-4ee8-a474-8097a35f3b43 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(35.2812499106872%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Maximo Carizzo held the previous record for the youngest professional athlete in American team sports. In 2022, the New York City FC 2 player debuted at 14 years, 4 months, and 26 days.

[{"selector":"#anim-afa1156b-b1e9-4ec3-ae11-2f9cb5f59472 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(5.571180466242753%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] In October 2022, Kimbrough was invited to the US Youth National Team Talent ID Center, a one-day session to replicate YNT camps.

[{"selector":"#anim-f285b147-b8c0-46b0-a5b9-5c1fdf110abd [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-10.568286947724225%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-22714efc-4ff4-457b-bbb8-83b67c800566","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-ad463637-461f-4a99-af3e-3015c27f7dfc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dc824b49-3a7a-40ae-a9cf-a4f30c45a40d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-117.0347%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Meanwhile, last September, Kimbrough was also invited to the Mexico U-16 National Team camp. He was even in the starting XI for the Mexican youth team against Club Universidad Nacional.

Historic Event in US Soccer: Da’vian Kimbrough Debuts at 13

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